a right out of the park and pass the businesses, heading into the rougher side of town. He sticks closer then, and when I’m between some old, derelict houses, I slip into the alley and then hide behind the bins. I hear him stop at the end and then start down the alleyway, wondering where I am.
He passes me, and I slip out behind him, pressing my knife to his throat as I lean up on my toes and whisper into his ear. “Got you, pretty boy.”
Instead of panicking like I thought, he relaxes into my knife, and I can feel his amusement and…pride? “Well done. When did you sense me?”
“Before I even left the house,” I admit, and then press the knife in deeper. “So why are you following me? I know it’s not to get into my panties.”
“So sure?” he teases. His voice is darker today…almost different.
“Yes. Why?” I ask, stronger now, trying to ignore the sway of my body towards his. He turns in an instant and presses me to the wall. My knife is still at his throat, even as he slams my other hand to the wall. He could push the knife away, slip free, and run…but he doesn’t. Why? My interest is piqued. This hunt definitely isn’t boring, that’s for sure.
He leans down, his breath wafting over my face as his gaze flickers from my lips to my eyes. “Maybe you interest me. Maybe I was going to see where you were going. Or maybe I just wanted to finish what we started.”
“Liar.” I grin as I relax into the wall. He might run, but I’ll follow. “I’ll play along though.”
His eyes lock on my lips, and for a moment, I think he might kiss me. His body presses closer, and I run my tongue along my bottom lip as he watches. “Why did you lead me here?” he murmurs, his tone low and needy.
“Why did you follow?” I counter, and he presses his neck farther into my knife, his eyes narrowing with desire, his lips parted. I arch my eyebrow at that as a cocky smirk curves my lips. Oh yes, he likes pain. What a shame, I could have played with him, but I have to kill him.
Something has him glancing to the end of the alley, and he groans before looking back at me. “Until next time,” he promises and steps away.
I charge after him. “I’m not done—”
I’m so distracted by trying to reach him, I don’t see it coming.
The fucking bastard knocks me out.
My last thought is that he definitely isn’t human. So what is he?
KHALID
I catch her and gently lower her to the ground next to the wall and cover her in my coat. At least she will be safe until she wakes up. My head jerks up as I hear them draw closer. The other hunters are after me. The council isn’t fucking around anymore. I don’t know how they know what face I changed to, but they clearly do, or this human has fucked with the wrong people. Either way, I have to lead them away from her. She can kick ass, hold her own, that much is obvious, but this is my mess. She shouldn’t be involved in my life, it will get her killed, which is the very fucking reason I left her.
Why was she trying to trap me?
Is she hunting me too? Has the council sent my own fucking mate after me?
If so, do they know… No, they can’t, or they would have kept her as far away from me as possible. Backing an animal into a corner with the one thing in this world he cares for and protects will only make him more dangerous unless…unless they thought it might throw me, make me weak, and she would kill me in that hesitation.
Fuck.
Leaving the alley, I circle the building and spot them looking down the end for me. They aren’t too smart. The council probably gave them her coordinates to track and find me. Assholes. But I don’t want them to find her either. They might be on her team, but I can’t be too safe. Leaning into the bricks of the building next to me, I whistle at them. “Looking for me?” I call.
All four turn. They are the usual meathead hunters, mainly shifters due to their tracking abilities—they are the best, after all—but I spot a vamp in their mix as well. “Wow, they must really want me dead to send